Chapter 213: Chapter Title: New Ability

The feast at the Ryotei was naturally treated by Senior Mai. Uesugi Muneyuki's current income is roughly 6 million yen per year after taxes, and with almost no living expenses, he is barely at a lower-middle-class level; however, for a Ryotei where a meal starts at 100,000 yen, this is far from enough.

A meal at a high-end Ryotei easily starts at 100,000 yen, and even more expensive ones are everywhere. There was once a Prime Minister of Japan discovered to have dined at five different Ryotei in Chiyoda Ward over half a month, with cumulative spending approaching 2 million yen.

This triggered the famous "Ryotei Paradox," which is to say that if one eats this way, even the Prime Minister's salary is not enough to afford Ryotei (the annual salary of the Prime Minister of Japan is about 38 million yen after taxes). So, if the money he used to eat at the Ryotei was his own, where did he get so much money? If the money he used to eat at the Ryotei was not his own, then who was hosting him? Does this count as a form of bribery?

The result of handling this matter was that a large number of high-end Ryotei comprehensively strengthened their surveillance and regulation, ensuring privacy and confidentiality to a greater degree to prevent similar cases of being secretly filmed from happening again. At the same time, among the five involved Ryotei, two eventually closed down for rectification due to lax confidentiality, and the other two were renovated.

We cannot solve the problem, but we can solve the person who raised the problem!

Uesugi Muneyuki held Senior Mai in his arms, feeling the delicate and smooth touch of her Wolford stockings. Holding the National Goddess in a way that would drive every man in Japan crazy, he enjoyed a Ryotei feast and incidentally told Senior Mai about the things he had encountered.

"This situation is very simple." Shirakawa Mai leaned back against Uesugi Muneyuki's chest, enjoying it, and said calmly: "If it is indeed true, the other party is a person from the Inner World, and possesses the ability to walk through walls or communicate over long distances. He does not need hypnosis or control, but simply made Yamada Aika commit suicide through conversation."

"By the same token, if there is a similar ability, it would not be a very difficult thing to make that Hirasawa Yui from Tokyo Woman's Christian University disappear." Senior Mai pondered: "That is to say, looking at this situation, although the other party is an Inner World existence, they should have just obtained it and are not acting low-key enough."

"The Trial Sword Theory, is it?" Uesugi Muneyuki nodded.

Human nature is just like this; when one carries a sharp weapon, the desire to kill arises on its own. Just like how Samurai, upon obtaining a new katana, cannot help but want to test its sharpness, if someone obtains Inner World power, they will also be unable to resist testing its strength.

After discussing it for a while, Uesugi Muneyuki and Shirakawa Mai decided to go and take another look at Yamada Aika's corpse.

After finishing the meal and paying the bill, the two left the Ryotei. Senior Mai signaled for Uesugi Muneyuki to hold her hand: "We are going directly! Mai Flight, take off!"

Huh?

Uesugi Muneyuki didn't have time to say whether he agreed or disagreed before he was instantly stuffed into what felt like a twisted rubber pipe. Multi-dimensional space from all directions squeezed his soul and body, making the strong-willed man groan in pain. The whole world was like plasticine, twisting and rotating in the air, squeezing and relaxing. Every inch of his body felt like trash being flushed into a sewer, moving forward at high speed along the pipe.

A few seconds later, a pair of jade-like feet in flesh-colored stockings inside Senior Mai's black side-cut pointed-toe strapped high heels landed first, followed by Uesugi Muneyuki's sneakers.

"Ah~ huff~ ugh~" Uesugi Muneyuki almost threw up. He discovered that the two had landed near a shrine, and this place was not far from the funeral home where Yamada Aika was cremated.

"The flight has landed safely. Please carry your personal belongings and leave in an orderly manner~" Senior Mai said to Uesugi Muneyuki with a smile.

"What is this? Teleportation?" Uesugi Muneyuki was dizzy and knelt on both knees, his face full of pain: "Why does it feel like I was stuffed into a rubber pipe and squeezed out?"

"Yes, this is teleportation." Senior Mai laughed: "My Spirit Power marks the God Stones and God Trees of many shrines among the members of the Kanto Shrine Alliance. As long as I want to, I can teleport to any place that has a mark."

"Let's go, let's go to the crematorium and take a look. I hope Ms. Yamada's corpse has not been cremated yet." Senior Mai didn't say too much to Uesugi Muneyuki.

"Don't worry, given the efficiency of the Japanese, it definitely won't be that fast." Uesugi Muneyuki laughed.

"It sounds like you aren't Japanese yourself... Hold my hand tightly, I can make us not be discovered by anyone."

The two walked straight into the entrance of the funeral home with a swagger. It was already night, and no one was working at the crematorium. They successfully found Ms. Yamada's corpse in the morgue.

Uesugi Muneyuki tried one more time, and a flash of bright red inside the Qinghui Stone flared up.

Sure enough, this time there was a different situation. The Death Soul Contract did not take effect, but another ability did!

Although Yamada Aika's Soul was very unwilling, it still spat out a blurry scene!

It was the scene before her death, right inside the cell of the Detention Center.

The image began to flashback and reverse. In front of Uesugi Muneyuki and Shirakawa Mai, the scene of Yamada Aika before her death played in reverse.

From her committing suicide with a towel, to tearing off the towel, to being counseled by guards and a psychologist, and then to her hysterical madness, Uesugi Muneyuki finally saw that strange performance of hers.

He saw her very excitedly saying something toward the corner of the room, weeping and kneeling, begging the other party for forgiveness. Her attitude was very humble. Although he could not hear her specific words, there was no doubt that she did not have a mental problem, nor did she see any hallucinations, but was truly communicating with some guy.

From this point on, there was no more doubt. There really existed some guy from the Inner World who used a special method to talk to Yamada Aika, leading to Yamada Aika committing suicide on her own.

Takigawa Tsubasa?

Uesugi Muneyuki instantly thought of that missing host.

Yamada Aika's social circle was very narrow. To say who could make her look so excited, besides Ms. Kurosawa, the only one Uesugi Muneyuki knew of was that host. Among them, Ms. Kurosawa had already disappeared, and Yamada could kill her own aunt for money. Even if Ms. Kurosawa was not dead through and through like Hironaka Mariko, could Ms. Kurosawa really make her niece feel so guilty that she committed suicide with just a round of talk?

Overthinking it.

So it could only be that host who escaped.

Of course, it could also be other hosts.

"The evidence is still not sufficient." Uesugi Muneyuki said to his Senior Mai: "But we have confirmed that there indeed exists such a guy from the Inner side. We only need to guard against his possible attacks from now on."

Before Senior Mai could speak, behind Uesugi Muneyuki, in the cabinet of the morgue, Hironaka Mariko's Cursed Grudge pushed open the small window of the corpse cabinet and slowly crawled out from inside: "Leave it to me, Uesugi. We have already remembered this guy's scent. As long as he continues to commit crimes or appears nearby, I can sense it!"

Seeing Hironaka Mariko once again, Shirakawa Mai discovered that she still could not communicate with her, but Senior Mai did not care.

Uesugi's is mine! Mine is also Uesugi's!

After experimenting in the morgue, Uesugi Muneyuki named his new ability Death Flashback.

This ability allows him to see the scene of the deceased before their death, and he can roughly judge the cause of the deceased's death and the short flashback scene based on the scene.

This effect is linked to the completeness of the deceased's corpse, their level of cooperation, and the time of death. For example, with someone like Ms. Yamada who was unwilling to cooperate, he could only see a very short scene, but for another old man who was about to be cremated, Uesugi Muneyuki saw the scene of his whole family saying goodbye to him one by one when he had a moment of clarity before death.

Dual Cultivation is really useful! Uesugi Muneyuki excitedly gripped Senior Mai's hand.

We haven't truly done Dual Cultivation yet! Senior Mai chided him, pressing her jade-like finger against Uesugi Muneyuki's forehead, signaling him to follow her, saying there are many benefits!

It was already late at night after the two finished their investigation, and Uesugi Muneyuki prepared to say goodbye.

Senior Mai, however, firmly grabbed Uesugi Muneyuki's hand: "Call Ashūshū and say you have something to do tonight and won't be coming back."

"Eh?" Uesugi Muneyuki looked shocked.

"Call now." On Shirakawa Mai's beautiful face flashed a firm expression: "You are not facing the threat of the Inner World for the first time. Last time we hadn't become partners yet, but this time it won't do."

"Come home with me, I will first teach you the Secret Method for self-defense."

After Senior Mai finished speaking, a playful look appeared on her face: "Uesugi-kun, you wouldn't want to encounter an attack from the Inner side again and be helpless, right? I have a Secret Art that is very suitable for you right now."

"And, if you are willing to come, Senior has a special gift for you too!"

A special gift?

Uesugi Muneyuki indeed had too many things he wanted to ask Senior Mai for advice on.

Looking at her elegant and alluring temperament and the unconcealed firmness in her eyes, Uesugi Muneyuki almost didn't think and immediately picked up the phone.

"Is that Ashūshū? I have something to do tonight and won't be coming back."

(End of chapter)